1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an optical connector system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical data bus systems have become more popular in recent years in the networking of buildings and in mobile systems (automobiles, airplanes, etc.). The optical physical bus structures have advantages in comparison to electrical systems, and above all with respect to their electro-magnetic compatibility and with regard to a high transmission band breadth. One problem with optical cabling is in the subsequent connection of additional users to the bus circuit. This requires either the interruption or cleaving of the bus circuit, which requires at least partial new cabling between until now adjacent bus participants, or alternatively the advance installation of expensive active signal generators which are later substituted with the additional participants.
On the basis of increased costs, above all in mobile systems, no active signal generators are employed in ring busses or linear busses. In the employment of optical ring busses there are provided at predefined positions on the bus line, in part, so-called passive in-line connectors or plugs, which causes additional insertion attenuation. For a later connection of participants the connectors must be separated, such that the transmission and receiver lines of the new participants can be connected to the open plug ends. The plugging in or unplugging of individual bus participants to or from the data bus without mechanical changes at the bus line or at the plug connections is not possible.